Unexpected Valentine
by LaceyLouLou82
Summary: Alternate History/Universe Leddie one shot.


**A/N: This fic is completely ridiculous and I have no idea why I even wrote it other than I wanted to write a V-day story about Leddie still in high school and this is what happened when I started typing with no clear idea or outline in mind. **

**It's kind of an ensemble piece with appearances by Phil, Mel, Chloe, Tyler, Adrianna, and Ian as well as Eddie and Loren. It is also completely alternate universe and has nothing to do with anything we saw on screen. Everyone is in high school and almost everyone is friends. See, totally crazy and ridiculous. I have no idea where it even came from. LOL.**

**And yes I know it's not V-day anymore. I am totally late, but you can blame my hubby for that. I planned to have this posted on time, but he surprised me with a weekend trip to ski for Valentines. The best part….no kids **** don't get me wrong, I love my kids but they are exhausting and I needed a break. **

**Anyway, please REVIEW and I hope you like this **

"Do you miss her?" Phil asked his best friend as he followed his gaze across the quad. Loren Tate was sitting with his little sister laughing hysterically about something that was no doubt only funny to the two of them. It didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that Loren was more okay with the distance between her and Eddie than he was. Or at least she was pretending to be okay with it. Phil had known the girl since elementary school and was pretty much certain that she wasn't as over her friendship with the rock star wannabe as she allowed people to believe.

Eddie shrugged his shoulders and looked down at his food tray. The burrito had looked good at the time because he was hungry but now he found himself lacking in the appetite department. He pushed the tray away, towards Phil who gratefully scooped it up and began peeling away the wrapping. Eddie found his brown eyes traveling back across the outdoor lunch area. Only this time she was looking back. Her brown eyes met his. He gave her a tentative smile but she quickly looked away. With a sigh, he flicked open the can of Pepsi in front of him. This was his entire fault. Loren wouldn't even really look at him and he couldn't lay blame anywhere but at his own feet. Well, maybe at Chloe's too.

The blonde seated herself at the table between him and Phil and leaned into him for a kiss. He fought the urge to roll his eyes and kissed her quickly on the lips. Phil didn't resist though and rolled his eyes as Eddie met them. Phil and Eddie have known one another since elementary school but have only really been friends since they both tried out for basketball their freshman year and were both cut from the team two weeks later for not showing up for practices after school. Phil came into his life after Chloe but always made it clear that he wasn't a fan of the blonde. Chloe had no idea of course because she believed everyone in school adored her. Eddie just didn't have the heart to break it to her that most people actually disliked her. He was slowly starting to understand why.

Picking up her packet of salad dressing, Chloe Carter smiled in Phil's direction, "so you were the subject of our student council meeting this morning, Sanders. Did you really send carnations to every girl in the freshman class, including your own sister during the first valentine's flower sale?" She took a bite of her drenched in dressing salad and waited for him to answer.

"Yeah, "he crumpled up the wrapping that previously held Eddie's burrito and frowned at Chloe, "so?"

"I just think it's weird. Of course Adrianna and everyone else think it was totally adorable. "She rolled her blue eyes. " Why did you do it?"

"Because all the sale is about is showing off who the most popular girls are. Its total bull, and not fair that certain girls get all kinds of attention and others don't. I made sure everyone got at least one flower, yellow of course. "

"Yellow?" Eddie asked raising his eyebrows. He knew that the red carnations that the officers of the student council sold were supposed to represent love and the pink ones were to symbolize friendship. He had sent red to Chloe and pink to Loren every year since the sale started, but he couldn't remember what yellow was supposed to mean.

"Secret Admirer, "Phil answered with a wicked grin. " I made every girl in our class think they had a secret admirer. Except Aid, she got a red one and Lo and Mel both got pink ones.

"You sent Melissa a pink friendship flower, "Chloe asked completely astonished.

Phil nodded like it was the most natural thing in the world. "Mel is my friend. "

"She is your sister. " Chloe declared with narrowed eyes. "And if you ask me, she is a lousy one. She treats your girlfriend like dirt. "

"Chloe, you don't know what you are talking about. " Eddie interrupted his girlfriend. He really wasn't in the mood today for an argument between his girlfriend and the only best friend he had left. "Adrianna, Loren and Melissa have history you don't understand. "

"What's to understand? Loren Tate is a selfish spoiled princess who couldn't handle her mommy marrying Adrianna's dad so the first chance she got she and her little sidekick, that would be your twit of a sister, by the way, "she informed Phil who was holding onto the edge of the picnic table to keep from reaching out and strangling her, "ruined the marriage."

"Like Eddie said, you don't know what you are talking about. " Phil said between clenched teeth. "Did Adrianna tell you those things?" He didn't want to believe his girlfriend would lay all the blame at Loren's feet.

Chloe shook her head. "No, but everyone knows what happened. "

"No, "Eddie said shaking his head. He knew the truth of course, but only because up until last Friday, he had been considered Loren's best friend. She had confided to him last year and he had been the one to convince her and Mel that telling Loren's mom the truth about Adrianna's dad's cheating on her was the right thing to do. "People just like to think they know, but they don't have a clue. "

"Not that it's any of your business, but Melissa and Loren had nothing to do with the breakup. It was Don not being able to keep his pants up that ruined everything. "Phil defended his sister and her friend, his friend. " And Mel treats Adrianna the same way Adrianna treats her. Don't be bad mouthing my sister, Chloe. "

"So you just expect me to let Melissa treat my friend like dirt? I am not allowed to say anything because she is your sister?"

Phil glared at Chloe, "you don't give a damn about Adrianna, Chloe. We all know you don't. You just latched onto her because you saw instant conflict between her and Lo after the breakup of their family. Anyone that has issues with Loren is attractive to you because you are jealous of her. "

"I am not jealous of Loren Tate. " Chloe all but screamed the statement causing her to attract the attention of everyone in the quad, including Loren and Mellissa who were now glaring at the blonde and the two guys who sat on either side of her. Eddie felt like crawling into a hole and dying. Phil was too busy glaring and trying to keep his temper in check to care about the audience and Chloe thrived on being the center of attention so if she noticed, she didn't seem to care. "I hate that girl. "

Loren clamped a hand on Melissa's shoulder to keep the girl in her seat when she started to stand up.

"You hate her because you know Eddie cares more about her than he does about you, "Phil said. Eddie simply sat in his spot with his head down. He didn't dare look up at Chloe or Loren. The truth was undoubted easy to spot in his eyes and if he did, someone would be hurt.

"Eddie loves me. Loren is just some lovesick girl out of her league. She wouldn't stand a chance with Eddie even if I wasn't his girlfriend. "

"You are delusional. " Phil insulted. "Everyone in this damn school, except apparently you knows that Eddie and Loren are crazy about each other. "

"Then why did she stop being friends with him?" Chloe asked standing up and putting her hands on her hips. "She can't even be a decent friend to him."

Loren stood up and made her way over to the table with confusion etched across her face. "What are you talking about? I didn't stop being Eddie's friend. He ended our friendship. "

Eddie shook his head and looked up to see a pair of blue and a pair of brown eyes staring at him questioningly. Later he would kill Phil for this but now it was time for him to do what he should have done days ago, man up. "I ended my friendship with Loren. " He admitted.

"Why?" Melissa asked joining the table after telling the onlookers to get back to their own conversations. "And how about the truth this time not the crap you feed Lo about the two of you growing apart. " Mel sat down next to her brother and pulled Loren down next to her so that she was sitting directly across from Eddie.

"It's complicated Mel. " Eddie said with a pleading tone to his voice. He really didn't want to do this right now, or really ever.

"Come on man, this is your chance. " Phil urged his buddy. "Do what we both know you want to do. What you should have done. "

"I ended my friendship with Loren because I couldn't end my relationship with Chloe. " Eddie was focused on Melissa instead of who he should have been focusing on.

"That makes zero sense, Duran. " Mel informed him with an impatience sigh.

Phil couldn't take it anymore. Eddie was talking in circles and he knew that if he ever really did get around to saying what it is that he really needed to say, Chloe would have a meltdown and cause an endless amount of drama. "Early last week, Eddie tried to break up with Chloe but she freaked out and threatened suicide. Of course it freaked Eddie out so he just decided to ignore his feelings and stay with her. "Phil sent a snarl the blonde's way before turning to Loren, "He realized a while ago that his feelings for you are stronger than the ones he has for Chloe. He planned to break up with her and ask you to be his date for the dance tomorrow. But then Chloe acted like her world was over when Eddie uttered the words break and up."

Loren slowly turned towards Eddie. He was looking at her but she was unable to name the emotion in his eyes. She hoped that what Phil was saying was the truth but she needed to hear the words from Eddie himself. "Is that true?"

He looked from Loren's hopeful eyes to Chloe's furious ones and knew that it was the moment of truth. He could either lie to the person who he had unintentionally but completely fallen in love with and remain in a relationship that made him miserable with a girl that made him feel nothing or he could be honest and have a real chance at happiness. His brain battled with his heart internally. What if Chloe really followed through on the threats to end her life? He would blame himself. What if he missed this opportunity with Loren and never got another to be with her? He didn't know if he could handle Loren going east to college without ever knowing if they could be something amazing. They would be amazing together he knew. He was only 18 years old but he already knew that Loren Tate, the girl who has been one of his best friends for years, was the girl made for him.

He cast another look in Chloe's direction. She was beautiful and fun, but when he thought about his future, she wasn't the person he wanted by his side when all his dreams come true. He honestly didn't even know if Chloe knew what his dreams were. He couldn't remember a single time in their multi year relationship when he confided to her that he wanted to follow in his parent's footsteps and be a singer. Loren knew though. Hell, she encouraged him more than even his parents did. She had more faith in him possibly than he did in himself.

"Yes it's true. " He heard himself say as he once again faced Loren and his brown eyes locked with hers. "I was planning on asking you to the dance. "

"You have to be kidding me, "Chloe shrieked standing up. " You are not seriously dumping me for this, "she looked Loren up and down disgustedly, "nobody."

Melissa stood up so that she was practically nose to nose with Chloe, even with the table between them. "I am so sick of your snide, bitter comments towards Loren. It's been purely out of respect for Eddie that I have kept quiet this long but that stops now. You are a jealous, manipulative shrew who isn't even good enough to spit shine Loren Tate's shoes. You walk around this school like you are someone special, but it brings me great pleasure to inform you that no one in this place actually even likes you. People you consider your friends talk about you the second your back is turned. Including Tyler, who you are so convinced idolizes you. "Satisfied with herself, Mel sat back down and picked up a chip from her brother's lunch tray. She shared a smile with him as she popped the morsel into her mouth.

"Speaking of Tyler, "Loren spoke up. She looked past Eddie to where Tyler Roark was slowly approaching the table with Adrianna Masters, her former step sister on one side and Ian Collins on the other. Ian and Tyler shared a look with Phil as Adrianna pushed in between him and Chloe.

"What about me. " Tyler asked, opening a burrito. "Don't tell me all you beautiful girls finally admitted to wanting me and I missed it because Mr. Wells held us back in Biology." He sent a wink to Melissa and Loren. Ian squeezed onto the bench on the other side of Loren and made room for Tyler beside him.

"Dream on, loser, "Phil joked. A proud smile spread across his face as he gestured towards Mel "my sister here was just filling Chloe in on a few things."

"Eddie just dumped me. " Chloe pouted towards Tyler who was chumping on his food. "For Loren. "

Tyler nodded as he swallowed, "yeah I kind of saw that one coming Chloe. " He smiled at Loren, "at least he dumped you for someone hot and smart. " Loren blushed at the compliment and Tyler chuckled, "and completely modest. It could be worse. "

Chloe glared at her longtime friend. She and Tyler have lived across the street from one another since they were four. He had always wanted her, it was just a fact that she not only appreciated, but found most useful especially when she needed something. And right now she needed for him to talk his friend out of dumping her for someone as undesirable as Loren. "How could it be worse Ty?"

The dark haired boy, used his right hand to push a wayward piece of his longish hair out of his eyes, " he could have lied to you, used you, and cheated on you before dumping you in public. "

Silence fell over the table as all eyes centered on Chloe. It was no secret amongst the posse that Chloe and Tyler had been together before she decided she wanted Eddie. She had treated Tyler badly and broken up with him in the middle of the Homecoming dance during their freshman year. He had been humiliated by her and everyone at the table knew it. Accept apparently Chloe whose mouth was hanging open and shock was radiating from her eyes. She was much too stubborn to notice or even care that she had broken Tyler's fifteen year old heart. He had been a fool for her back then. He wasn't any more.

Guilt washed over Eddie as he pulled his surprised gaze from Chloe to Tyler. He was the reason that Chloe and Tyler had broken up, though at the time he hadn't know that she was seeing both of them. He and Tyler have been friends for as long as he can remember and it didn't sit well with him that he was the reason Ty had been hurt. "Listen man, "

But he didn't get a chance to finish as Tyler held up his hand and shook his head. "Water under the bridge, Duran. I was just making a point. "Tyler assured him. The truth was that it was never even Eddie's fault. Chloe had played them both he just wised up a lot faster than Eddie. Turning towards Mel, he flashed his rarely seen dimples. "We still on for tomorrow?"

"Of course. My dress is bright pink. "She told him with a bright smile as Loren, Phil, Ian and Eddie all chorused, "of course it is. "

"Wait a minute, "Chloe, still standing, planted her hands on her hips, "you asked Melissa Sanders to the Dance?" Shocked resonated through her voice causing it to sound shrill. "This is so not happening right now. "

"Yes it is Princess. " Phil took pleasure in pointing out as he swung an arm around Adrianna's shoulders. "Not only did you just get dumped on the day before Valentine's Day, but your back up plan has officially moved on. " Phil watched from the corner of his eye as his longtime friend winked at his not so little anymore sister. "This leaves you all alone for the dance. Isn't Karma a bitch?" Blue eyes narrowed at him but Phil ignored them. "Maybe you shouldn't run your mouth about stuff you don't know anything about, huh?"

Finally breaking her silence for the first time since joining the lunch table, Adrianna Masters looked between her boyfriend and her sometimes friend. "What was she running her mouth about?"

" First she insulted me for sending Mel flowers for Valentine's day, then mouthed off about your relationship with Mel and Loren. " Phil said offhandedly.

"What about it? " Adrianna asked now glaring at Chloe with an expression that mirrored Phil's.

"She thinks Mel treats you like dirt and that Loren ruined your dad and her mom's marriage."

"That's not true. " Adrianna and Loren said at the same time. They looked at one another quickly before turning both sets of brown eyes back to Chloe.

"Why do you think that?" Adrianna asked.

Chloe sighed, "I heard some girls talking about it in the locker room. They said that Loren hated your dad and was jealous that her mom spent so much time with him so she set out to ruin their relationship. Obviously Loren is good at ruining relationships, she destroyed mine. "

"I did not. It's not my fault that Eddie broke up with you. I didn't tell him to do it. I didn't even know he was planning it. You can't blame any of this on me Chloe. "Loren said with sincerity. "I have never been anything but respectful of your relationship with Eddie. "

"She's right, "Eddie confirmed, angrily. "I am ending our relationship because I want to. It doesn't have anything more to do with Loren than that I feel differently about her than I should feel for a friend, "his eyes meet hers across the table and they shared a quick intense look before he turned back to his newly ex -girlfriend.

"And not that it's any of your business but Mel and I have never ever gotten along. Nor have Loren and I but she had nothing to do with my dad and Nora splitting. My dad ruined our family because once again he couldn't keep it in his pants." With a final quick look to Mel and Loren, Adrianna stood up and left the table. Phil followed after her.

"You really do spread sunshine, don't you?" Ian asked Chloe as he watched as Phil caught up to his girlfriend and pulls her into his arms. "Maybe you should stamp a warning label on your forehead. "

"We should talk, "Loren told Eddie as Tyler and Mel laughed with Ian and an irate Chloe stomped off. He nodded and stood up to lead her away from the table when the bell signaling the end of lunch rang. Loren rolled her eyes and smiled, "after school?"

"I will drive you home. " At her nod, he followed Ian and Tyler to their next period class.

_**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

Loren couldn't concentrate in her math class after lunch. Every equation she looked at got lost in a sea of questions in her mind. Did Eddie really feel the same way she did? But then why did he break off their friendship? Could they really make a relationship work after being friends for so long? Was it worth the risk? What happens after graduation? Would he give up his dreams for hers and follow her to Brown? Could she give up her dreams and stay here while he pursued his music? What if what they feel for one another is just passing affection? So many questions and she had no answers and two more class periods to get through before she could even talk to him.

Finally, thankfully, the bell rang and Loren shot out of her seat and headed to the door not even waiting for Mel. She would catch up with her after American History which was Loren's next class. She and Eddie had the class together and sat in the back right beside one another. Earlier today she had been dreading the class for that very reason.

On Friday when Eddie had stopped by her house and told her that they couldn't be friends anymore, she literally felt like she was dying. His reasoning had been spotty at best but the determination in his eyes told Loren that he was serious. He was ending their friendship and cuttings all ties with her. She had spent the whole weekend in her room crying over an album full of photos of the two of them. She didn't understand what was happening or why she just knew that since he walked out her door and didn't look back she felt like a piece of herself was missing. And now it turns out that it was a lie. But Eddie never lied to her. Not once in the years that they have been friends has he so much as even embellished the truth. It was one of her favorite things about him.

She walked into the classroom and took her usual seat in the back right corner. The windows were on her right and Eddie would be on her left, but he hadn't arrived yet. She dropped her purple and black messenger bag on the floor next to her and leaned down to pull out her textbook and binder. She placed them both of her desk and opened her binder to pull out her homework assignment for today. Mr. Bales would collect it first thing and then like every other day, he would post notes for them to copy down on the outdated overhead projector and then assign a new chapter to read. The work would take up most of the hour period and keep the students busy while Mr. Bales sat at his desk reading the latest NY Times Best Seller. Loren was not a fan of this class, usually. But today, she would welcome the lack of class participation.

The bell to start the class rang as Eddie and Phil rushed in with a throng of other students. Phil took his seat two rows up from Loren and turned to flash her smile. She returned it as Eddie slide in next to her. "Hey."

She smiled at him just as Mr. Bales called the class to order and instructed them to pass their essays forward. Eddie dug through his bag and passed his up with one hand while he used the other to throw something across the aisle to Loren's desk. She looked over at him as she picked up the folded piece of notebook paper. He gave her a shy smile.

As expected Mr. Bales loaded notes on the white drawn down screen and told everyone to copy them. Loren did so as quickly as possible but instead of reading the chapter that was assigned she opened up Eddie's note.

_**We have a lot to talk about but the most important thing for you to know is that it tore me apart to lie to you. I know I hurt you and I am sorry, Loren.**__**I spent the whole weekend hating myself. **_

_Then why did you do it?_

She wrote back and tossed the paper back on his desk. They continued to pass notes back and forth until the end of the class.

_**I just don't feel like I can be your friend anymore, Loren. I mean, not just your friend. I want more than that. I felt like I was stuck with Chloe and as long as I was and I couldn't be with you I would always wonder and wish. It wasn't fair.**_

_You are right, Eddie. It wasn't fair for you to make that decision about our friendship. You aren't just another friend to me like Phil and Ty and Ian. You are my best friend. Sometimes I feel like I am closer to you than even Mel and it devastated me that you could just throw it all away._

_**That isn't what I was trying to do. I was totally selfish, I admit. I just couldn't handle seeing you every day and pretending to care about you less than I actually do. I was an ass. Will you forgive me?**_

_Depends. Will you be honest now?_

_**Always. No more lies. I promise.**_

_Tell me how you feel about me._

_**I think about you all the time. From the time I wake up till I close my eyes at night. When we touch I feel like my skin is on fire. And more than anything else in this world, Loren Tate, I want to kiss you. Really kiss you, I mean. **_

_You sure have a way with words Duran. Maybe you should be a song writer: P _

_**Cute **____** Your turn. How do you feel?**_

_You really don't know? _

_**No.**_

_I have had the biggest crush on you since that day in elementary school when you shared your chocolate chip cookies with me after I dropped mine on the cafeteria floor._

_**Jesus, that long, Loren? Why didn't you say anything?**_

_I actually thought it was pretty obvious and you just weren't interested. My feelings just kind of kept getting stronger the older we became but then you and Chloe started going out. _

_**I can't believe this. We have wasted so much time. **_

_No we didn't. We built this incredible friendship, Eddie. I have no regrets._

_**Your right, you are my best friend and I wouldn't change that for anything. **_

_But things are different now. You aren't with Chloe anymore._

_**That was pretty crazy at lunch, huh?**_

_It was totally insane. Are you okay? With the breakup, I mean?_

_**Yes. I am a little worried that maybe Chloe will do something crazy but Phil was right to put it all out there. I should have done it myself. **_

_Yes, but I get it. What do we do now? Where do we go from here?_

_**I drive you home after school and sweet talk your mom into letting me spoil my dinner with a piece of her pecan pie. Then I ask you to be my date for the dance tomorrow. When I do, what will you say?**_

_I will say that I would be happy to be your date._

_**And what about if I ask you to be my girlfriend, what would you say to that? **_

_I would say that you just broke up with Chloe and that maybe you should think this through._

_**It's all I have thought about for months, Loren. I know what I want.**_

_Yet three days ago you walked away from me._

_**Because I was crazy and I thought it was the right thing to do. I didn't do it because I wanted to. I felt like I wouldn't be able to truly be your friend if I always wanted something more. I am done doing what I think is right. From now on, I am only doing what I want to do. I want to be with you, Loren. I want you to be my girlfriend.**_

_I want that too._

_**Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**_

After the final bell of the day rang, Loren stashed the materials she wouldn't need for homework into her locker and said a quick goodbye to Mel before making her way to Eddie's car out in the parking lot. He stood leaning against the passenger side door of the black sport's car that had been an 18th birthday present from his parents with a lazy smile on his face as he saw her approach. He held the door open for her and she slide inside. She had been in the car a million times but somehow today it felt different when he handed her the seatbelt strap and closed the door for her. Once he was seated and belted into the driver's side, he turned to Loren, "do you have a shift at the café today?"

"Yeah, but I don't have to be there till five. "

Eddie nodded and started the ignition. He pulled out of the school parking lot and took a right towards Loren's house. "Do you think your mom will have some of that pie?" He was starving and the thought of Nora Tate's pecan pie had been making him even hungrier since he first mentioned it during their note passing session in seventh period.

"Definitely, we had company for dinner last night and there was a ton of pie left. " She smiled at him but he knew her well enough to know the tone of her voice meant that the company last night was another loser date of her mom's.

"How bad was it?" He sent her a smirk. "This one didn't keep calling you Laura did he?"

She made a face at him, "No he kept calling me sweetie. It was creepy. And he talked to me like I was eight. "She looked down at her hands, "sometimes I wish I hadn't seen Don and Ellie together. Before than my mom was happy and Don wasn't the best but at least he knew my name and didn't patronize me. "

"Hey, come on, now. You know that he was a jerk. Your mom was always way too good for him and he proved it by jumping her friend's bones. "

She shrugged, "Logically I know that but my mom was happy with him. It was the first time since my dad walked out that she was truly happy. "

Pulling into Loren's paved driveway, Eddie put the car in park and turned it off. He turned sideways in his seat so that he was facing Loren, "Your mom is smart and beautiful, just like her daughter. She is going to find a man that is absolutely crazy about her, I promise. "He picked up her hand and gave it a squeeze, "she will be happy again. "

"I just want her to have what your parents have, you know?" A smile spread across her face when Eddie rolled his eyes. "They are so adorable together."

"My parents act like a pair of teenagers. It's disgusting."

"No, I don't think so. I think it's sweet. Your dad totally lights up when your mom walks into the room. He told me once that he falls more and more in love with her every day that passes. "She smiled at the memory of Max Duran explaining that it was love at first sight for him when he first met his wife.

"Yeah he tells me that all the time. "He picked up her other hand so that each of his was holding one of hers. "Do you know that my mom figured out my feelings for you before I did?"

"Really," She gave him a skeptical look.

He nodded," she says that she could tell for a while now."

"How long have you known?"

He gave her that sexy smile of his that was guaranteed to make her knees weak. "Since Christmas when you gave me that scrapbook of all my songs and those pictures of me and my parents, I realized that no one else understands me the way you do. It was the most thoughtful gift I have ever gotten. I just started thinking about all the good times you and I have had together and I realized that when I finally do sign a record deal I want you to be right there beside me. And when you argue your first case in front of a judge, I want to be there to see it. Not just as your friend, Loren. I want to be there as the man who loves you and I want you to be there for me as the woman who loves me. "

Loren pulled one of her hands out of Eddie's grasp and reached up to caress his cheek, "do you think we are too young to know what love is? I mean, my parents were our age when they first got together and that didn't end up so well. "

"But my parents were just as young and look at them." He matched her earlier movement and touched her cheek, "I think it just depends on the people and the relationship. If we want this to work, Loren, we can make it work. I know we can. "

_**Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxx**_

Loren spent the rest of the night thinking about what Eddie had said about them being able to make a relationship work if they really wanted to. She really wanted to. She had told him as much in his car before he drove off after declining an invitation to that piece of pie he so desperately wanted. He told her he wanted to come in more than anything but that she needed to think. He was right of course. As much as she wanted to be with Eddie, she was a realist at heart.

The chances of a high school romance succeeding in the real world were slim. Max and Katy Duran were an exception to the statistic. But her parents hadn't been. Her dad claimed to love her mother but the second that the role of husband and father had become too straining the 22 year old had tucked tail and ran as fast as he could leaving a devastated four year old in his rearview mirror. How could she be certain that Eddie wouldn't do the same? Or any guy for that matter?

She had long ago decided that love wasn't as important in life as other things; a solid career for instance. After years of watching her mother go from dead end job to dead end job just to make ends meet, Loren was determined to find a career that not only gave her financial stability but also made her feel good about herself. So many nights she laid awake listening to her mother vent to her aunt about how much she hated her jobs and how they gave her no feeling of purpose other than putting food on the table and clothes on her daughter's back. Loren didn't want that to be her life. As much as she loved and adored her mother, she wanted more out of life than to be stuck in a sad situation with a kid.

Loren was planning to attend Brown University in the fall. It had been a dream for longer than she could remember and she was beyond thrilled to learn that no only had she received her acceptance early but that she was being offered a full ride to the Ivy League school. She was well on her way to fulfilling her dream of becoming a lawyer. It's all she had worked for, all she had wanted. Until now, that is.

She honestly couldn't remember a time during their friendship that Loren hadn't wished for more with Eddie. Day after day she was forced to watch him strut around the hallways hand in hand with Chloe but at night when she would dream it was her holding his hand. She had actually become an expert of pushing down her feelings and devoting herself to being his best friend. It was a role she was happy to play because being friends with Eddie was better than not being in his life at all.

Things were different now, though. Now their mutual feelings were out in the open between them and their friends. It would be impossible to go back to being just friends now. She wouldn't want to anyway though. Eddie wanted to be with her and she wanted to be with him. It seemed to make perfect sense for them to just give into their wants and become a couple. But Loren wasn't wired to just throw caution to the wind and take a risk. Eddie knew it and it was the reason he decided that she needed time to think. He was leaving the fate of their future relationship, whatever it may be, in her hands.

Her shift at the café that night had been a nightmare of demanding customers and lazy co-workers. She couldn't wait till she could finally quit the after school job. She only had to tough it out for a couple of more months. After graduation she planned to spend one final summer with her friends before she packed up and head to Rhode Island.

Now as she sat alone in her room staring at the visitors guide to RI that her mom had given her, the excitement Loren once felt about her impending move was nowhere in sight. She couldn't stop thinking about what would happen between her and Eddie if they decided to make a go of a relationship. Would they spend the rest of the school year and the summer together being blissfully happy only to break up at the end of August when she was supposed to leave? Or would they decide to try and make a long distance relationship work even with all odds stacked against them? It was times like this when she hated herself for being a long term thinker.

_**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXX**_

Loren wasn't surprised the next morning when she walked into her homeroom and found four pink carnations waiting for her on her desk. It was Valentine's Day and the day of the student council flower sale delivery. She knew without even looking at the cards attached to each flower that they were from Phil, Tyler, Ian and Eddie respectively. The guys made it a point every year to send her and Mel the pink friendship symbols. It was a sweet gesture and it always reminded her how lucky she was to have each of the guys as friends.

What did surprise her however were the single red carnation and the half dozen red roses that she found also sitting on her desk. Ignoring the curious looks of her classmates, Loren pulled the card off the stem of the carnation and smiled at Eddie's horrible penmanship as she read the words he wrote. _I forgot to ask you a question when I dropped you off yesterday. Will you be my date for the Valentine's dance?_

Placing the card down next to the flower, she moved to the bouquet of roses wrapped in green tissue paper. Finding the card easily, she pulled it out of the starch white envelope and once again read the words written in a familiar scribble she would know anywhere._ I also forgot to ask if you will be my girlfriend. _

Her heart warmed instantly and it didn't matter what her concerns about the future were anymore. Eddie Duran wanted her to be his girlfriend. He wanted to take her to the most romantic dance of the year on the most romantic night of the year. All the mattered right now was following her heart and it was currently screaming that this is what she had wanted for so very long.

_**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXX**_

Eddie was in such a great mood by the time lunch rolled around that not even the fact that Chloe was sitting at his regular table with Tyler and Phil could ruin it. He simply smiled at her as he sat his tray down and dug into his hot dog before he even planted his butt on the seat of the wooden picnic table bench. Chloe glared at him from her spot next to Tyler across from him but he ignored it. Her drama was no longer his problem to deal with.

"Hey man, how killer was that Government test, "Tyler asked around a bit of his own hot dog.

"Did we even go over any of that crap in class?" Phil asked joining into the conversation even though he didn't have the class during the same period as his friends. He had it first period while they both had it during third. The material was the same though so he had the same test as they did just at a different time.

Eddie popped the top on his drink¸ "If we did I don't remember. I totally BS-ed my way through most of those essay questions, anyway." He saw Mel and Loren enter the quad and his eyes locked with Loren. She sent him a dazzling smile and he felt his start to beat rapidly. It was the first time he had seen her since dropping her off the day before. He hoped like hell that her smile meant that not only did she love the flowers this morning but that she was going to answer both of his questions positively. The girls started his way but were stopped by Adrianna who walked up and was talking to them. He nudged Phil and gestured with his head to where the girls were huddled together. "Should we break that up?"

Tyler and Chloe turned around to see what Eddie was referring to as Phil answered. "No, its fine. Aid is actually apologizing to them for all the crap she has pulled." At Tyler and Eddie's skeptical look, Phil explained. "We had a long talk last night and she kind of realized that she didn't like who she was anymore. After her mom bailed she kind of lost herself for a while but she is ready to start being a better person. She has decided to start with my sister and Loren. "

"That's really cool, man, "Tyler said turning back to his tray.

"Yeah, really cool that yet another person at this table will be singing Loren Tate's praises, "Chloe added bitterly as she turned back to her daily serving of salad. She stabbed a piece of lettuce with her plastic fork angrily.

"Well, no one said you have to sit here, "Phil countered. He looked around at all the empty tables," There are plenty of other places for you to sit."

"Especially if all you are going to do is bad mouth Loren, "Eddie added finishing off his drink with a long gulp. He crumpled up the can and shot it across the quad through the air making it land in the large red recycling bin. He shot a triumphant smile Phil's way. Phil just rolled his eyes.

"So now that we aren't together, I can't even sit here?" Chloe asked.

Eddie shook his head. Of course she would try to cause drama. "I didn't say that. I said if all you are going to do is bad mouth Loren you should take Sanders's advice and sit at another table. I don't want to hear it and neither does anyone else." Phil and Tyler agreed by nodding their heads. "If you want to remain part of the group, keep your unkind opinions to yourself. "

Adrianna slide in next to Phil and Eddie and smiled over at Eddie after kissing her boyfriend. "Thanks for the carnation. That was sweet. You too Ty." Both guys sent smiles her way. "And thank you for the roses. " She gave Phil another kiss. "My dad about had a coronary this morning when the delivery guy showed up in the middle of breakfast. It was great! "

Tyler and Eddie shared a laugh with Phil and Adrianna as Mel walked up. She held a tray full of French fries and placed it down in the middle of the table. " I didn't know what you wanted on them Adrianna, so " she pulled packets of mayo, mustard, and ketchup out of her pockets and dumped them on the table next to the tray " I got everything." She sat down on the vacant side of Tyler and smiled at him. "Thanks for the flowers. "

"Welcome," he smiled back and reached over to kiss her on the cheek.

"Hey Roark, "Phil joked, "no PDA with my sister. "

"Where is Loren?" Eddie asked when he looked around the quad and didn't see her anymore. "I saw her walk in with you. "

Mel smiled at him, "No worries, lover boy. She is in line to get us drinks. "

Eddie visibly relaxed but gave Mel a serious look, "did she say anything?" He knew that Mel would know what he was referring to.

She nodded and picked up a packet of ketchup and a napkin off of Tyler's try. She opened the packet and squirted the red liquid onto the napkin. "She did and you should know that her dress for tonight is light pink so I would go with a white corsage." She winked at him before grabbing a handful of fries from the tray. "And I would also like to advise you that if you do anything, absolutely anything to hurt my best friend, I will forget the fact that I have known you since you pulled my pig tails in third grade and I will make it impossible for you to ever conceive pretty little brown eyed offspring."

He knew Mel hadn't meant it as a joke but he chuckled anyway because it was her way of giving him the information he was fishing for. Loren was going to take a chance on him, on them. And Mel warning him not to break Loren's heart was the girl's way of telling him he had her approval…sort of. "Hey, Sanders take care of this for me, will you? " Eddie asked indicating his lunch tray as he stood up. On Phil's nod, he pulled a five dollar bill out of the pocket of his black jeans and handed it to Mel. "Here, use this to get your drinks. I am going to go steal Loren away. "He didn't wait for a response as he headed toward the double doors that lead back into the school.

Chloe watched with a sneer as her ex-boyfriend of only one official day practically ran after another girl. "He could at least pretend to care about hurting me. "

Mel rolled her eyes but stuffed two French fries in her mouth to keep from saying something she might regret. After all she did happen to be going to the Valentine's dance with Chloe's one and only friend. It wouldn't do well for her to insult the girl in front of him. Not that Chloe ever cared about that sort of thing. But she wasn't Chloe, thank heaven and she knew a good thing when she saw it and Tyler was a very good thing.

_**Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxx**_

Eddie found Loren waiting in line at the vending machines. She was still about four people back from being able to make her purchases. He strolled up behind her and motioned for the girl in front of her that saw him coming to keep quiet. She continued talking to Loren without letting on about Eddie's presence.

Coming up directly behind Loren, Eddie wrapped his arms around her from behind and leaned down so that his mouth was next to her ear, "What do you say, we bail on this school thing today?" He whispered. He felt the tingle that raced through her body and smiled. The fact that he had the power to cause such a reaction in her made his heart warm.

Slowly turning around to face him, Loren let out a wide smile," Eddie Duran, are you asking be to play hooky from my afternoon classes?" she feigned shock at his suggestion. It was common knowledge that Eddie and his friends often decided on better things to do with their afternoon than sitting in a stifling classroom listening to boring teachers dredge on about boring facts. However, Loren had never skipped a single class in her entire educational career.

His lips lifted up into a sexy smile and Loren felt her heart rate accelerate, "That is exactly what I am suggesting. Doesn't a picnic in our secret spot sound so much better than anything you could possibly learn in the next couple of hours?"

It really did and try as she might, Loren couldn't come up with a single reason not to go with him. She had already made her decision to give their relationship a chance and tonight at the dance would be there first official date, unless she took him up on the offer to leave school early. It wasn't rocket science so when Eddie pulled back from their embrace and held his hand out, she didn't hesitate to take it and let him lead her out.

_**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**_

Once upon a time, this little patch of serenity had been Loren's place to come when she wanted to remember her father and the few memories she had of him. He had first showed this place to her when she was four, before he walked out and years later she had happened upon it during a walk.

Memories filtered her mind immediately as she walked to the edge and looked out at the city below. Now when she came here, she almost never thought about Trent McCall. Instead she thought of the guy next to her right now pulling a pastrami sandwich out of a take-out bag and passing it to her. They had shared this spot since freshman year when they had both come at the same time to get over a bad day. It had surprised each of them that the other knew of it but quickly they agreed to share it and more often than not the would both end up here together venting about their bad days, writing songs, filling out college applications, or just hanging out.

"So, "Eddie started nervously as he handed a bottle of water to Loren and then twisted the top off his own, "did you like the flowers?"

"Of course I did. " She reached over and picked up Eddie's hand, "and to answer your questions. Yes, I would love to be your date for the dance. And more than anything, I want to be your girlfriend."

In all the years that Loren has known Eddie, she was certain that she had never seen a bigger or more sincere smile grace his handsome features. "You have just made me the happiest guy ever." He closed the distance between them quickly.

Loren had been kissed by boys before, of course. There was Dylan Parsons in Kindergarten. Matt Holcomb in fifth grade and Cameron Webber just a few years ago had also kissed her. But Eddie's kiss was different, better. It started out with him gently pressing his lips to hers and as she opened hers to fully accept him, he deepened the pressure and she felt a sensation she never experienced before overcome her. Desire. She felt his tongue slip inside of her mouth and Loren was sure she had died and gone to heaven. She reached her hands up to lock behind Eddie's neck and pulled him closer. She needed him closer.

Eddie gently laid Loren down on the old flannel blanket he had found in the trunk of his car and had brought out for them to sit on. He positioned himself on top of her and used his arms to hold most of his weight so that he wasn't crushing her petite form. He broke away from her lips which caused her to moan in distress but then he let his lips begin an assault down the side of her neck. Judging from the soft delightful sounds coming out of his girlfriend's thoroughly kissed lips, she enjoyed his attentiveness. He knew he was enjoying it. But he also knew that making out was as far as things could go right now so placing one last kiss on the base of her throat, he pulled his lips off of her and smiled down at her when she protested. "There will be plenty of time for more of that later, Loren Tate. Now that I can kiss you, you better believe I will do it often. "

"Promise?"

He chuckled slightly and nodded, "Promise."

Eddie moved off of Loren and sat down next to her on the blanket while she lifted herself up into a sitting position as well. "I know you have concerns Loren. We should talk about them. I don't want us to have any doubts or secrets in this relationship."

"Mostly, I am just afraid of what will happen at the end of the summer. I am going to Brown, Eddie. "

He nodded and took her hand, "I know and I am so proud of you. You worked so hard for that scholarship. "

She really had and it meant more than she could express that he knew that. As much as she loved her mother, there was no way Nora would be able to afford to send Loren to her dream Ivy League college so it had been up to her to not only get accepted but to find a way to pay for it as well. A full academic scholarship had been her way. "Thank you. I just can't give it up because things have changed between us. "

"I would never expect or ask you to do that. I know how much your dreams mean to you. "It was part of the reason he was so crazy about her. She was determined to make every one of her dreams a reality. Her determination was as admirable quality and it had rubbed off on him a long time ago when he decided that being a singer and songwriter was what he wanted to do. She had not only supported him, but Loren had helped him put together a demo of songs that he had written and even a couple that she had written. " The truth is that I don't know what is going to happen when it's time for you to go, but I know that I don't want the what-ifs and the worries to dampen what we can have right now. "

"I don't want that either. " She smiled at him, "I just want to enjoy the time we do have together. "

"And we will figure everything else out later. " Eddie agreed once again capturing her lips with his. It was a quick kiss this time but meaningful nonetheless. "This is probably the best Valentine's day ever, huh?'

"Definitely. I was actually dreading the dance, you know? I wasn't even going to go but Mel insisted, "Loren rolled her eyes good-naturedly. " But now I have this incredibly unexpected Valentine and I can't remember a single time in my life when I was ever so happy. "

_**The end **_____


End file.
